Surgical jaw-splint and support.



. L Patented luly l6, l90l. W. G. E. MULLER.

SURGICAL JAW SPLINT AND SUPPORT.

(Application filed May 18, 1901.)

2 Sheets--Shaet 2.

(lo Iodol.)

WITNESSE: a v L Y 'lwkurofl ii M PZWQ W -94 I w Nirnn STATES WILLIAM G. ERIC MULLER, OF PATERSON, NEWV JERSEY.

SURGICAL JAW-SPLINTAND SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,417, dated July 16, 1901.

Application filed May 18, 1901,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GUSTAV ERIC MULLER, a subject of WVilliam, Emperor of Germany, residing at Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Jaw-Splints and Supports,of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

One object of my invention is to provide a device to support, keep in place, and prevent the removal of any of the various splints which may be used by the surgeon in the case of a broken jaw or other fractures or in the case of a weak necka device which may be fitted with facility to patients of different sizes and which may be as readily removed by the surgeon.

A further object of my invention is to produce a device to keep the upper and lower jaws in proper position when no splints are used.

The following are some of the many instances in which my surgical jaw-splint and support may be used First, when there is a fracture in the higher portion of the lower jaw near the angle where the upper and lower jaws come together, in which case a rubber gag is placed between the upper and lower molars, my device, provided with a chinsplint, is fitted to the head of the patient, which prevents him from opening his mouth, thus keeping the upper and lower jaws in the position desired by the surgeon; second, when there is such a fracture to the jaw that it is necessary to apply an inside splint my device is applied in a similar way to prevent the patient from opening his mouth, thus retaining the inside splint in position third, when the patient hassustained an injury orfracture of any other character or has a weak neck, in which case the chin or head is apt to drop, my device is applied in a similar manner to support the chin, head, and neck and to keep in position any splint which it may be necessary to apply to the neck, and, fourth, whenever it is necessary to apply a broad soft splint around the neck or to any portion thereof my device may be similarly applied, and the collar thereof will surround and keep in position the soft splint.

Serial No. 60,962. (No model.)

The invention consists of a series of metallic strips or bands provided with slotsand guiding-clips, with flat-headed bolts passing through the slots in the adjoining bands, each of said bolts being provided with a square portion near the fiat head thereof which is adapted to enter the said slot to prevent the bolt from turning when a nut is screwed on the outer end of the bolt for the purpose of securely holding the bands together in the desired position.

WVhen my invention is fitted on the head of a patient and secured in the desired position, the bands form a collar around the neck and a bandage around the head from the forehead to the back thereof, a brace passing from one side of the collar up the side of the face and over the head and .down the other side of the face to the opposite side of the collar, a similar brace passing from the front of the head over the top thereof and down the rear portion thereof to the collar-band and thence down the back of the patient below the shoulderblades, where the same may be secured from turning by means of suitable bandages passed around the body of the patient. On the front of-the collar-band, under the chin, is a fixed slide, in which a further band is adjustably located and on which is located a chin-splint.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a side view of my invention fitted to a figure of a head. Fig. 2 is a front view of my device, and Fig. 3 is a top or plan view thereof.

A band extending around the head from the forehead to the rear is composed of the two metal strips A and A, which are provided with longitudinal slots c and a near each end thereof. On each of the extremities of the part A is a guide-clip 0 through which the ends of. the part A pass. A collar-band is similarly formed of two parts B and B of the same construction, having the slots 6 and b and the guide-clips b. On the front portion B and the rear portion 13 of the collar-band are secured fixed slides b and b adapted to receive, respectively, the chin-splint support G and the back strip 0. A similar fixed guide a is secured to the rear part A for the strips E and C. These strips AQE, and O are secured together by means of the bolt a.

All of the bolts used in securing together the various metal strips and bands are of the same construction-namely, having a broad fiat head if, the portion 41' next to the head being square and adapted to fit in the slot through which the bolt projects to prevent its turning when the outside nut is screwed on. 12 is such a nut.

The strip E is provided with the guide (2, through which the strip C passes.

C is a strip which passes from the back of the head through the fixed guide in the collarband and down the back of the patient to a point below the shoulder-blades,where it may be secured to prevent its turning by straps or bandages passing around the body of the patient. It will then be impossible for the patient to even turn his head without turning his whole body, and the chance for any of the splints becoming displaced is exceedingly remote.

The strip C may be constructed of any suitable shape to suit the figure, as at c.

The strips D, D, and D are of the same general construction and are secured where desired in the same way as the collar-band and the head-band, to which theyare secured and which they intersect, as shown in the various figures of .the drawings. They are provided with the slots d, d, and (1 The strips D are provided with a guide (1 for the strips D and D d d, and d are securing-bolts of the con struction above described.

D is provided with a guide d for the strip D to pass through.

The strip E is provided with slots 6 and e and with a guide 0, through which the back strip 0 passes.

The chin-splint F is provided underneath with a fixed guide f, through which the chinsplint support G passes. The chin-splint is secured to the support G by means of the boltf, which is constructed as above described. The support G is provided with the slots g and g and secured to the part B of the collar by means of the bolt 9.

The strips D D are secured to the overlapping ends of the collar-band where desired by means of the bolts 2' and Zn.

The back strip 0 is secured in the slide at the back of the collar-band by the bolt 0.

lVherever it is necessary, a lining of felt, as indicated by h in Fig. 2, is provided to prevent any unnecessary discomfort to the patient.

Instead of felt other soft or suitable materials may be employed as a lining at the points where the device presses or binds.

Ordinarily my device consists of twelve separable parts, .which are secured together by the above-described bolts and nuts.

lVhile any suitable material may be employed in the manufacture of my device, spring-steel bands are preferable.

On account of the length of the slots in the various strips composing my device it may be arranged to fit almost any patient. The chin-splint, for instance, may be raised or lowered vertically as well as extended outwardly.

With this description of my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A surgical jaw-splint and support, consisting of a series of overlapping strips or hands, provided with longitudinal slots and guide-clips, adapted to be adjusted to the size and shape of the patients head and neck, and to be arranged as shown and described, in combination with a chin-splint, and flatheaded bolts, provided with a square portion, adapted to enter said slots to prevent the screw from turning, and nuts for securing the parts together where desired, substantially as set forth.

2. A surgical jaw-splint and support, consisting of a series of overlapping strips or bands, provided with longitudinal slots and guide-clips, adapted to be adjusted to the size and shape of the patients head and neck, and to be arranged as shown and described, in combination with a chin-splint, fiat-headed bolts, provided with a square portion, adapted to enter said slots to prevent the screw from turning, nuts for securing the parts together where desired, and a lining of felt or other suitable material on the binding portions of the device, substantially as set forth.

3. A surgical jaw-splint and support, consisting of a series of overlapping strips or hands, provided with longitudinal slots and guide-clips, adapted to be adjusted to the size and shape of the patients head and neck, and to be arranged as shown and described, to pass around the neck and head of the patient, and from the collar-band up the sides of the head and over the top thereof, and from the top down the back of the patient to a point below the shoulder-blades, where it may be secured by bandages passing around the body, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

T. G. ERIC MULLER. Witnesses:

.TosErH DE Lone, STELLA A. HUGHES.

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